Rotary pump or the like



Aug. 8, 1933- E. E. GREVE 1,921,747

ROTARY PUMP OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 19, 1929 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.4.

1 L 1 I w '1 7 i IN W VENTOR Aug. 8, 1933. E. GREVE 1,

' ROTARY PUMP OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 19, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 {5INVENTOR 3a "7 4 I I I I Aug. 1933- E. E. GREVE 1,921,747

ROTARY PUMP OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 19, I929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 P/araws 5-J}.

Dar/rim: Meow 5 Patented Aug. 8, 1933 1,921,747 ROTARY PUMP OR THE LIKEEdgar E. Greve, Bellevue, Pa., assignor, by mesne assignments, to OilWell Supply Conipany, Pittsburgh, Pa., a Corporation of New- JerseyApplication February 19, 1929. Serial No. 341,186

15 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved rotary pump or the like,for instance, a rotary motor, and contemplates a construction that maybe effectively employed eitherin an apparatus in which anexternally-applied power causes my device to displace and deliver afluid such as a liquid, i. e., a pump; or in an apparatus in which afluid such as a gas under pressure operates the apparatus, i. e., amotor; to cause the latter to deliver. mechanical power.

In the present application, I have shown an embodiment of my inventionin the form of a rotary pump.

The present invention contemplates a construction embodying a pair ofaligned shafts, a plurality of rotor members fixedly mounted on saidshafts and including two sets of rotatable piston elements, a fluidchamber in which the piston elements operate, and means for rotatingsaid shafts and rotatable piston elements in the same direction and atdifferent speeds to produce a plurality of alternate suction anddischarge said chamber to effect an increase and decrease.

of the volume of fluid in the chamber; to provide a construction inwhich the alternate annular displacement of one set of pistons exceedsthat of the other set; to provide a construction embodying means fordriving the sets of piston elements independently of each other; toprovide a simple and eflicient driving gear mechanism embodying a set ofcircular gears and a set of non-circular gears and/or two sets ofnon-circular gears; and a construction in which the piston elements aredisposed on a radius and maintain the same radial distance from the axesof the aligned shafts throughout the complete cycle of operation.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an end elevational,view of a rotary pump embodying myinvention;

Fig. 2, a sectional view takenon the broken line II-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, an inner face view of one of the casing halves, showing thelocation of the ports;

Fig. 4, a sectional view on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1, showing thesuction connection;

Fig. 5, a sectional view on the line V-V of Fig. 1, showing thedischarge connection;

Fig. 6, a face view of one of the piston-carrying members;

Fig. '7, a similar view of piston-carrying member;

Fig. 8, a cross-section on the line VIIL-VIII of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9, a diagrammatic view, showing the position of the pistons andports in phases 1 and 3;

Fig. 10, a diagrammatic view, showing the positions of phases 2 and. 4;

Fig. 11, a diagrammatic view, showing the positions of the parts midwaybetween phases 1 and 2; and

Fig. 12, a diagrammatic view, showing the application of two sets ofnon-circular gears to the pump.

In the drawings, 5 designates a drive shaft associated with the pumpproper; this shaft is mounted in suitable bearings 6 and may be drivenin any manner desired, as by a pulley, not shown, fixed to one endthereof.

In the embodiment of my invention as illustrated, I have provided twoaligned shafts mounted in bearings 7 and respectively designated 8 and9. These shafts are partly disposed in horithe complementary zontalalignment in a two-part or divided casing comprising two similar halves10 and 11, and project from the casing on two sides thereof throughstufling boxes 12 and 13. The inner or adjacent ends of the said shaftsare spaced apart a sufficient distance to provide a running distancehalves 10 and 11 aresecured together by means of bolts 18 to maintainthe piston-carrying members in face-to-face contact, and are providedwith base portions 19 for positioning the pump.

The inner contacting faces of the rotors or piston-carrying members 14and 15 are formed with complementary recesses 20 and 21 forming, whenthe parts are assembled, an'annular fluid cess of the other member.

chamber or piston race in which are located a plurality of arcuatepistons, generally designated A and B, the pistons of one member beingadapted to extend into the complementary re Said rotors orpistoncarrying members are also respectively provided with ports oropenings Pa and Pb, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Casing halves 10 and 11 are each formed with ports and passagesincluding arcuate suction ports S1 and S2, and discharge ports D1 andD2, in alternate relationship, as shown in Fig. 3. The ports S1 and S2are in communication with an annular suction passage 22, which latteropens into suction connection 24, as shown in Fig. 4. Ports D1 and D2are in communication with an annular passage 23, which opens into adischarge connection 25, as in Fig. 5.

As illustrated and as preferred, the pump is driven by gear mechanismcomprising two sets of gears X and Y. As shown, I provide circular gears26 and 2'7 comprising gear set X and elliptical gears 28 and 29comprising gear set Y. Gears 26 and 28 are keyed to the drive shaft 5and mesh with their respective gears 27 and 29, keyed to the pump shafts8 and 9 respectively. In this manner, it will be seen that pump shafts 8and 9 with their associated parts will be driven in the same directionbut at different speeds, due to the ratios of the gear sets X and Y. Asthe pump is rotated, this variance in speed will produce, by theoperating pistons A and B, a1- ternate increase and decrease of thevolume enclosed in the annular chambers or races described above.

In Figs. 6 and 7, the relative positions of the pistons are shown.Piston-carrying member 14 is provided with pistons A and A1, disposed180 degrees apart, and with ports Pa and Pa1, in communication with thepiston chamber. Similarly, member 15 is provided with pistons B and B1and ports Pb and Pb1.

Referring to Figs. 9, 10 and 11, it is assumed that the member 15 ofFig. '7 is inverted and positioned in place upon the member 14 of Fig.6, both of saidmembers being superimposed over casing half 10 of Fig. 3.The starting position of the pumps or phase 1, as shown in thesediagrammatic figures, is represented on Fig. 1 bythe position of gears28 and 29. Such gears, being elliptical in design, have four changepoints 01, c2, 03 and c4 of the gear 28, and c5, 06, c7 and es of thegear 29. The angles between 0102, 03-01, 01-01, and 05-08, aredesignated a, whereas the angles between 01-04, 0H3, 05-011, and 07-08are designated b. When the respective change points of said gears are incontact, both gears 28 and 29 rotate at an equal speed.

Assuming the direction of rotation shown by the arrows and that gear 28rotates through an angle a, the gear 29 and member 15 will rotatethrough an angle b, or until 02 and cs are in contact. Gear 28 beingkeyed to the drive shaft 5, said shaft also rotates gear 26 through anangle a, which in turn rotates gear 27 and member 14 through an angle a,in the same direction. The member 14 and its pistons A and A1 travelthrough the angle a while member 15 and its pistons B and B1 rotatethrough the angle b. And since angle a is greater than angle b, thepistons A and A1 will have a greater rotation by the difierence betweensaid angles.

During the motion just described, it will be seen that piston A and A1will create a suction through the ports Pa, Pm, and S1 and S2 of casthepistons A, A1, and piston B, B1, will cause.

discharge through the ports Pb, Pb1, of the'casing half 11. Such varyingangular displacement or speed may be said to produce suction anddischarge strokes.

The operation just described may be termed phase 1 of the pump. Suchaction will be repeated in phase 3, whereas in phases 2 and 4, themember 15 and pistons B, B1, will move through the angle a; and member14 and pistons A, A1, will move through the angle b. Such action willcause suction through ports Pb, Pb1, and ports S1 and S2 of easing half11, and discharge through ports Pa, P111, and ports D1 and D2 of casinghalf 10. In other words, the action of the pump in phases 1 and 3 isalternated in phases 2 and 4.

Continued rotation of the pump will produce a constant flow of waterthrough the repeated actions of the pistons and ports. For each phase ofthe pump there will be two suction strokes and two discharge strokes,first through one side of the pump and then through the other side.

As shown in Fig. 12, the pump may be operated by two sets ofnon-circular gears. Elliptical gears 26a and 28a, keyed or otherwisesecured to shaft 5, mesh with elliptical gears 27a and 29a-respectively. Gear 27a is keyed to shaft 8 and gear 29a is keyed toshaft 9. The suction and discharge ports in the casing halves remainunchanged, as do the angular positions of the pistons A and B.

Assuming that shaft 5 is turned through an angle of 90 degrees, gears26a and 28a will also turn through 90 degrees. But, due to theconfiguration of the gears, gears 27a, shaft 8, pistoncarrying member14, and pistons A and A1 will rotate through an angle a, while gea'r29a, shaft 9, piston-carrying member 15, and pistons B and B1 willrotate through an angle b. Since angle a exceeds angle b, the pistonwill have a stroke a-b degrees. The alterate stroking of the pistons issimilar to that previously described.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that when my invention is usedas a pump, and as particularly shown by the form of Fig. 1, one of thealigned shafts and the rotor or piston-element carrier fixed thereto isdriven at a constant speed and the other sliaft'and its associated partsat a variable speed, so that the latter shafts speed will increase anddecrease relatively to the constant speed of the just-mentioned shaft,thus causing the pistonelements of the variable driven shaft to approachand recede from the piston elements of the constant speed shaft. As thepiston elements separate, suction is produced, and as they approach,discharge is effected, the piston elements and the arrangement of portsin the rotors or carriers being such as to provide for an alternateannular displacement of 'one set of pistons in excess of the other set.

In the event my apparatus is employed as a motor, as distinguished froma pump, fluid under pressure is introduced through the dischargeconnection and is designed to drive the device at a uniform speed.

Iclaim:

1. In a rotary pump or the like, a casing, a pair of aligned pump shaftsoperable in the easing, rotors fixed to the respective pump shafts, saidrotors having complementary faces thereof in contact and provided withrecesses to form a fluid chamber enclosed by said rotors, a pistonelement mounted on each rotor and operable in the fluid chamber, saidcasing being formed with suction and discharge passages in communicationwith said chamber. 1

2. In a rotary pump or the like, a divided casing with each part formedwith a fluid passage registering and in communication with a fluidpassage in the other part, a pair of aligned shafts operable within thecasing, a pair of rotors fixed one to each of the shafts and arrangedwith complemental faces in contact, said faces each formed with anannular recess, piston elements carried by each rotor and projectingtherefrom into the recess of the other rotor, said rotors each formedwith a port communicating with its recess and communicatingintermittently with the fluid pas sage in one part of the casing.

3. In a rotary pump or the like, a divided casing having each partformed with fluid passages therein and assembled to provide an annularspace between the parts, a pair of coaxial shafts operable within thecasing, a pair of rotor members mounted on the shafts and disposedwithin the annular space of the casing, said rotors contacting andformed with opposed recesses to provide an annular chamber, said rotorshaving inlet and discharge ports leading from the recesses, two sets ofpiston elements disposed in the annular chamber and movable with therespective rotors, and mechanism co-acting with the coaxial shafts fordriving the rotors in the same direction and at different speeds.

4. In a rotary pump or the like, a casing, a pair of aligned shaftsoperable within the casing, a pair of piston carriers fixedly secured tothe shafts and arranged in facial contact and having communicatingrecesses forming an annular fluid chamber, arcuate piston elements onthe respective carriers and operable in the fluid chamber, and means forimparting different speeds to the respective carriers and their pistonelements, said casing having admission and exhaust conduits to and fromthe annular chamber, and said carriers having ports for the flow offluid when in communication with the conduits in the casing.

5. In a machine of the class described, a casing having a rotor chamberprovided with inlet and discharge ports opening' through a side wall ofthe casing, a pair of rotors each forming a side wall of a fluid chamberand separating said fluid chamber from the side walls of the casing,said rotors having portions constituting pistons cooperating with thefluid chamber, one of said rotors having an opening for intermittentlyplacing said fluid chamber in communication with the inlet port and forintermittently placing said fluid chamber in communication with thedischarge port, and drive means operatively connected to said rotors,said drive means being adapted to rotate the rotors in the samedirection at different speeds if the machine be operated as a pump andbeing adapted to be rotated by the differential rotation of the rotorsin the same direction if the machine be operated as an engine.

6. In a machine of the class described, a pair of rotors mountedcoaxially in abutting relation and cooperating to enclose an annularpiston chamber, each rotor. forming a side wall of the.

piston chamber, said rotors having portions con-' chamber, means forrotating the'rotors in the.

same direction at different speeds, and fluid supply and exhaust meansarranged adjacent the path of the rotor having the passageway andadapted to alternately register with the passageway therein.

'7. In a machine of the class described, a pair of rotors mountedcoaxially in abutting relation and cooperating to enclose an annularpiston chamber, each rotor forming a side wall of the piston chamber,one of said rotors having a passageway through the respective side wallof the piston chamber, said rotors having portions constituting pistonscooperating with the piston chamber, means for rotatingthe rotorsin thesame directionat different speeds, and a casing for the rotors havingfluid inlet and discharge ports arranged to register alternately withsaid passageway through one of said rotors.

8. In a machine of the class described, a pair of disc-like rotorsmounted coaxially, in abutting relation and cooperating to enclose anannular piston chamber, one of said disc-like rotors having a passagewaytherethrough communicating with the piston chamber, said rotors havingportions constituting pistons cooperating with the piston chamber, meansfor rotating the rotors in the same direction at different speeds, and acasing for the rotors having a side wall against which the rotor withthe passageway is disposed, said.

casing being provided with fluid inlet and discharge passages openingthrough inlet and discharge ports in said side wall, said inlet anddischarge ports being arranged to alternately register with saidpassageway in'the rotor.

9. In a machine of the class described, a casing provided with inlet anddischarge passages opening into the interior thereof through inlet anddischarge ports, relatively rotatable coaxial rotors mounted in theinterior of the casing, said rotors together enclosing an annular pistonchamber, said rotors having portions constituting pistons cooperatingwith the piston chamber, and means for rotating the rotors in the samedirection at different speeds, one of said rotors having a passagewaytherethrough for connec ing said piston chambers to said inlet anddischarge ports alternately.

10. In a machine of the class described, a casing provided with pairs ofinlet and discharge passages opening into the interior thereof throughinlet and discharge ports, relatively rotatable disc-like coaxial rotorsmounted in the interior of the casing in facial contact, said rotorstogether enclosing an annular piston chamber, said rotors havingportions constituting pistons cooperating with the piston chamber, andmeans for rotating the rotors in the same direction at different speeds,each of said rotors having a passage therethrough for connecting saidpiston chamber with an inlet and a discharge port alternately.

11. A machine of the class described including a casing, a pair ofaligned shafts projecting from opposite sides into said casing, a rotorcarried by each shaft for rotation side by side, said rotors togetherenclosing a fluid chamber, each rotor carrying a piston for arcuateoscillation within the fluid chamber, means including a passagewayextending through a rotor and cooperating passageways in the casing forsupplying fluid to and discharging fluid from said fluid chamber,

anddrive means operatively connected to said shafts,- said drive meansbeing adapted to rotate the rotors in the same direction at differentspeeds if the machine be operated as a pump and being adapted to berotated by the differential rotation of the rotors in the same directionif the machine be operated as an engine.

12. A'machine of the class described including a pair of aligned shafts,a rotor carried by each shaft, said pair of rotors having abutting facesslidable relative to each other angularly about the common axis of saidshafts, said rotors together enclosing an annular fluid chamber, apiston element carried by each rotor and operable in the fluid chamber,one of said rotors being traversed by a passage in communication withsaid fluid chamber, means controlled by the angular position of saidrotor about said axis for supplying fluid to and discharging fluid fromsaid passage, and drive means operatively connected to said shafts, saiddrive means being adapted to rotate the rotors in the same direction atdifferent speeds if the machine be'operated as a pump and being adaptedto be rotated by the differential rotation of the rotors in the samedirection if the machine be operated as an engine.

13. A machine of the class described including a pair of aligned shafts,a rotor carried by each shaft, said rotors cooperating to enclose anannular fluid chamber, a piston element carried by each rotor andoperable in the fluid chamber, means for supplying fluid to anddischarging fluid from the machine, said means having inlet and outletports adjacent a rotor, said rotor cooperating with said ports tocontrol flow of fluid to and from said fluid chamber, and drive meansoperatively connected to said shafts comprising a shaft parallel to saidpair of shafts and operatively connected by a gear train to each of saidpair of shafts, one gear train being adapted to connect the shafts forrotation at constant speed and the other gear train including ellipticalgears.

14. A machine of the class described including a casing, a pair ofaligned shafts projecting from opposite sides into said casing, adisc-like rotor carried by each shaft for rotation side by side withtheir adjacent faces in sliding contact, said faces being recessed toprovide jointly an annular fluid chamber, a piston element carried byeach rotor and operable in the fluid chamber, said casing having inletand outlet ports for supplying fluid to and receiving fluid from thefluid chamber, the supply and discharge of fluid to and from the fluidchamber by said ports being controlled bypassing through a rotor, anddrive means operatively connected to said shafts, said drive means beingadapted to rotate the rotors in the same direction at different speedsif the machine be operated as a pump and being adapted to be rotated bythe differential rotation of the rotors in the same direction if themachine be operated as an engine.

15. A machine of the class described including a pair of aligned shafts,a rotor carried by each shaft, said rotors having abutting faces andeach face being so recessed that said rotors together enclose an annularfluid chamber, a piston element carried by each rotor and operable inthe fluid chamber, drive means operatively connected to said shafts,said drive means being adaptedv to rotate the rotors in the samedirection at different speeds if the machine be operated as a pump andbeing adapted to be rotated by the differential rotation of the rotorsin the same direction if the machine be operated as an engine, and meanscontrolled by the angular position of a rotor about its axis forsupplying fluid to and discharging fluid from said fluid chamber.

EDGAR E. GREVE.

